What’s The Matter With Voter Restrictions?

So apparently the face that people need ID to vote is anathema to some people. Let’s call them liberals. Apparently asking for ID is immediately seen as an attack on ‘minorities’ (who liberals always assume to speak for) and the poor, their other favorite ventriloquist’s act. I’ve got to admit, I’m feeling a little feisty on the subject.

Yes, I get that it makes it ‘harder to vote’. But voting is an incredibly important responsibility and takes time and thought. It’s a process, from becoming politically conscious to researching a party. Maybe you follow family tradition, and maybe you need to figure yourself out. Once you’ve made your decisions, you still have to register to vote and for that you need ID and an address to ascertain what district you’ll be voting in. If you can pull out ID to go to the club or get a drink, you can do it to vote.

Once you’re ready to take part in the voting process, it’s still incumbent upon you to research candidates and keep up with primaries and general elections. Why? because you’re entrusting people with power. And that’s not something to take lightly. Are you really just going to let any old body roll into the polling place to vote for God knows who on the ballot? Voting a person into office gives them access to public funds, sensitive information, and more. They are entrusted to act for us, in our name. I think having to get an ID card to prove that you’re entitled to be part of that process is more in the interest of the voter than a real restriction.

I’m also wondering why people are so resistant to providing identification to vote. Are they hiding something? Immigrant status? Criminal backgrounds? Bad credit? What? All you have to do is show ID to prove who you are and if your signature matches the one on record. What’s wrong with that? People use ID every day for inconsequential reasons. I’ve had to pull out ID at McDonald’s to use my credit card(shut up, yes I eat there, and there were some fraud issues in the area). I’ve had to pull out ID to pick up packages at the post office. You need ID to get married. You need ID to get past security in my building. You need ID period, not just to vote.

We pull out ID all day long all around the world…So why is it wrong to ask people to identify themselves when they vote?